License usage monitoring

[LeashS2670471542y5]

Hello, 

I would like to see a feature from Adobe that provides usage stats based on licanse usage. e.g. for Adobe DC, I can see in SCCM the number of users that have opened the application. I am unable to see how many are actually editing PDF's or using the licensed features. The end goal is to be able to manage licences with the users that are actually using the features. 

[kglad · Accepted solution]

these are user-to-user forums.

 for applicable apps, you can make (some) suggestions to adobe here, https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/x-productkb/global/how-to-user-voice.html

for others, use https://www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html

[LeashS2670471542y5]

Ok thank, Support provided me this location to post suggestions :S 

[stevenp81396465]

Adobe not a particular fan of this topic.   You are nnot alone in this need.

Other threads ongoing re this same customer need found here -

https://community.adobe.com/t5/enterprise-teams-discussions/creative-cloud-usage-report/m-p/13962561...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/enterprise-teams-discussions/tracking-usage-of-licenses/m-p/12466734#...

[kglad]

most users are posting this suggestion in the desktop apps ideas forum.

[stevenp81396465]

Ohh - that's interesting - given utilization of resource(s) is going to be a priority for Enterprise managers responsible for larger numbers (teams) of licenses.  Thank you.

[kglad]

i'm pretty sure this has gotten the attention of adobe employees because it (and related items) is such a prevalent request.

[stevenp81396465]

That's great to hear - - - it's an obvious need, it's simple to do and we've been talking about it for years.

[kglad]

i'm not sure about "simple to do".  i have zero insight into this issue, but...

i have a phd in mathematics, have years of computer science experience, am familiar with several programming languages, have past experience managing several online forums/bulletin boards, have more experience (160k+ posts) with adobe's forums than anyone else, and there are a number of problems with adobe's forums.

so 10 to 20 years ago, i offered to help adobe with their forums.  it seemed simple to fix, at least, some of the problems.  i was shown some of the back-end code and quickly realized, this was not going to be simple.  anything done was likely to break something else. i gave up.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

From an Enterprise admin perspective - this most likely wont happen for a number of reasons, least of which is you would need to allow a third party service (Adobe) access to monitor and record user interaction on their local computer inside your infrastructure in order to retrieve usage information in the Admin console. Most IT security departments would not allow this.

[stevenp81396465]

From an Enterprise perspective - I have numerous suppliers who do provide me (at a minimum) the last login date to the service - which is a great start and quite effective at BEGINNING to manage utilization.    Doing so would not (and DOES NOT for these other services) require (in THIS caswe - Adobe) to access the local device or network.  

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@stevenp81396465 Im assuming these are cloud based services that are hosted on their servers or at least requiring authorization through their service? The OP was asking about tracking PDF edits and using features in the application. How would you track a users specific usage of the software (not just having it open) without tracking the local system?

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Thats been the common theme/ask in the forums over the years - tracking usage not just download/logins. Thats the rub. I have management software now that can track users opening an application and for how long but it doesn't tell me if its just sitting in the background or actively being used.

[stevenp81396465]

3rd party management software is great and comes at incremental expense.   The point is - Adobe could easily provide information useful to the customer but chooses not to.  

[stevenp81396465]

The broader topic is utilization of resources.    Some information is better than none at all.    Last login or access date is actually a pretty good start irrespective of whether the individual "logged in" is actually using the service.   We were provided with a stunning insight into how over-allocated the service had gotten when Adobe terminated serial keys.    We quickly had to reprovision our user base and did so on request. . . . . . fully 25% of our users never requested a renewed entitlement.